Yellawomen edge out Portchy 3-2
Ascot United Women rounded off their league programme with a narrow 3-2 win over AFC Portchester on Sunday. In a tight game where the hosts came from behind and were then pegged back, Beth Lloyd scored a brace either side of Kate Fox’s strike.
Four goals shared in tight first half
In an entertaining half, Ascot enjoyed most of the possession and a typically audacious effort from Leah Littlechild – lofting a first-time effort from fully forty yards in the seventh minute – sailed over visiting ‘keeper Roxy Roberts before clattering to safety via the outside of the right-hand post.
But Portchy would defend well, and just as they had done in their league cup meeting several weeks earlier, they would cause Ascot problems.
And, they opened the scoring in fine style in the 19th minute when Millie Bradbury and Gemma Hillier linked up for the latter to cross from the right for Nat Bavister, whose first-time effort curled over Chloe Donnellan and into the net.
But their lead would last just six minutes when top scorer Lloyd raced onto a through ball and slotted home, despite the efforts of the covering defence.
Eilidh Currie’s brilliant goal-line clearance kept out Phil Holden’s powerful strike as Ascot went close to a second – Littlechild getting her side moving with a fine pass before Fox and Leah Robertson linked up to pick out Holden – but their goal would come eight minutes before the break.
This time, Erin Huntley’s excellent ball over the top set Fox free, and she showed great strength to hold off Currie before firing across Roberts and into the left-hand corner.
Roberts then did superbly well to turn Alix Todd’s inswinging corner away from under her own crossbar in the 45th minute (pictured, shooting-stars.co.uk), but in a see-saw end to the half Portchy went up the other end, won a corner of their own, and Brooke Marshall headed home from close range to send the sides in level at the break.
One goal enough and it goes Ascot’s way
Sophie Allen replaced Donnellan between the sticks for the second half, and she would go on to record a clean sheet.
More excellent defending by Currie – this time sweeping the ball off Robertson’s feet when she would otherwise have been free – thwarted another Ascot attack in the 49th minute, before Roberts made a breathtaking save to claw Littlechild’s long-range effort away on the hour mark.
But it took a moment of quality to finally unlock the visitors’ defence when Littlechild’s well-disguised pass after latching onto Huntley’s through ball picked out Lloyd, and she drilled a low shot across Roberts and into the left-hand corner with a narrow target to aim at; 66 minutes played.
That goal took her season’s tally to 25, and she was denied a 26th by an offside flag on 69 minutes just after the visitors had threatened through Chloe Sheffield, who couldn’t get her flicked effort from Mia Adaway’s cross on target.
Marshall might have done better than plant a close-range header wide from Currie’s 73rd minute free kick as Portchy threatened again, but it was Ascot who almost made the game completely safe in added time when substitute Katie Vince and Littlechild combined for the latter to slide the ball across for a stretching Liv Glover, who could get enough of a toe-end on the ball to convert it.
The win took Ascot’s closing tally to 52 points from the 54 available – 17 wins and one draw – although today’s visitors were close to denting that record and much credit goes to them.
What’s next for Ascot?
It’s a cup final next Sunday baby, need we say any more?!
Ascot United: Donellan (Allen 46’), Rowntree, Todd, Huntley, Torry, Holden, Fox, Robertson (Vince 58’), Littlechild, Lloyd, Glover. Subs (unused): Couzens, Ward, Doyle
Entertainment: 4
Reporter’s Star Player: Charlie Torry (Ascot United)
Attendance (estimate): 80